Chapter 18 - Sola's Story

Once within the palace, I drew Sola to the dining hall,
and, when she had greeted her father after the formal manner
of the green men, she told the story of the pilgrimage and
capture of Dejah Thoris.

"Seven days ago, after her audience with Zat Arras, Dejah Thoris
attempted to slip from the palace in the dead of night.
Although I had not heard the outcome of her interview with
Zat Arras I knew that something had occurred then to cause
her the keenest mental agony, and when I discovered her creeping
from the palace I did not need to be told her destination.

"Hastily arousing a dozen of her most faithful guards, I
explained my fears to them, and as one they enlisted with me
to follow our beloved Princess in her wanderings, even to
the Sacred Iss and the Valley Dor. We came upon her but a
short distance from the palace. With her was faithful Woola
the hound, but none other. When we overtook her she
feigned anger, and ordered us back to the palace, but for
once we disobeyed her, and when she found that we would
not let her go upon the last long pilgrimage alone, she wept
and embraced us, and together we went out into the night
toward the south.

"The following day we came upon a herd of small thoats,
and thereafter we were mounted and made good time. We
travelled very fast and very far due south until the morning
of the fifth day we sighted a great fleet of battleships sailing
north. They saw us before we could seek shelter, and soon
we were surrounded by a horde of black men. The Princess's
guard fought nobly to the end, but they were soon overcome
and slain. Only Dejah Thoris and I were spared.

When she realized that she was in the clutches of the
black pirates, she attempted to take her own life, but one
of the blacks tore her dagger from her, and then they bound
us both so that we could not use our hands.

"The fleet continued north after capturing us. There were
about twenty large battleships in all, besides a number of
small swift cruisers. That evening one of the smaller
cruisers that had been far in advance of the fleet returned
with a prisoner--a young red woman whom they had picked up in
a range of hills under the very noses, they said, of a fleet of
three red Martian battleships.

"From scraps of conversation which we overheard it was
evident that the black pirates were searching for a party
of fugitives that had escaped them several days prior. That
they considered the capture of the young woman important
was evident from the long and earnest interview the
commander of the fleet held with her when she was brought
to him. Later she was bound and placed in the compartment
with Dejah Thoris and myself.

"The new captive was a very beautiful girl. She told
Dejah Thoris that many years ago she had taken the voluntary
pilgrimage from the court of her father, the Jeddak of Ptarth.
She was Thuvia, the Princess of Ptarth. And then she asked
Dejah Thoris who she might be, and when she heard she
fell upon her knees and kissed Dejah Thoris' fettered hands,
and told her that that very morning she had been with John
Carter, Prince of Helium, and Carthoris, her son.

"Dejah Thoris could not believe her at first, but finally
when the girl had narrated all the strange adventures that
had befallen her since she had met John Carter, and told her
of the things John Carter, and Carthoris, and Xodar had
narrated of their adventures in the Land of the First Born,
Dejah Thoris knew that it could be none other than the
Prince of Helium; 'For who,' she said, 'upon all Barsoom
other than John Carter could have done the deeds you tell of.'
And when Thuvia told Dejah Thoris of her love for John
Carter, and his loyalty and devotion to the Princess of his
choice, Dejah Thoris broke down and wept--cursing Zat
Arras and the cruel fate that had driven her from Helium
but a few brief days before the return of her beloved lord.

"'I do not blame you for loving him, Thuvia,' she said;
'and that your affection for him is pure and sincere I can
well believe from the candour of your avowal of it to me.'

"The fleet continued north nearly to Helium, but last night
they evidently realized that John Carter had indeed escaped
them and so they turned toward the south once more.
Shortly thereafter a guard entered our compartment and
dragged me to the deck.

"'There is no place in the Land of the First Born for a
green one,' he said, and with that he gave me a terrific
shove that carried me toppling from the deck of the battleship.
Evidently this seemed to him the easiest way of ridding
the vessel of my presence and killing me at the same time.

"But a kind fate intervened, and by a miracle I escaped
with but slight bruises. The ship was moving slowly at the
time, and as I lunged overboard into the darkness beneath I
shuddered at the awful plunge I thought awaited me, for all
day the fleet had sailed thousands of feet above the ground;
but to my utter surprise I struck upon a soft mass of
vegetation not twenty feet from the deck of the ship.
In fact, the keel of the vessel must have been grazing
the surface of the ground at the time.

"I lay all night where I had fallen and the next morning
brought an explanation of the fortunate coincidence that had
saved me from a terrible death. As the sun rose I saw a vast
panorama of sea bottom and distant hills lying far below me.
I was upon the highest peak of a lofty range. The fleet in
the darkness of the preceding night had barely grazed the
crest of the hills, and in the brief span that they hovered
close to the surface the black guard had pitched me, as he
supposed, to my death.

"A few miles west of me was a great waterway. When I
reached it I found to my delight that it belonged to Helium.
Here a thoat was procured for me--the rest you know."

For many minutes none spoke. Dejah Thoris in the clutches
of the First Born! I shuddered at the thought, but of a
sudden the old fire of unconquerable self-confidence surged
through me. I sprang to my feet, and with back-thrown
shoulders and upraised sword took a solemn vow to reach,
rescue, and revenge my Princess.

A hundred swords leaped from a hundred scabbards, and a
hundred fighting-men sprang to the table-top and pledged
me their lives and fortunes to the expedition. Already my
plans were formulated. I thanked each loyal friend, and leaving
Carthoris to entertain them, withdrew to my own audience chamber
with Kantos Kan, Tars Tarkas, Xodar, and Hor Vastus.

Here we discussed the details of our expedition until long
after dark. Xodar was positive that Issus would choose both
Dejah Thoris and Thuvia to serve her for a year.

"For that length of time at least they will be comparatively safe,"
he said, "and we will at least know where to look for them."

In the matter of equipping a fleet to enter Omean the details
were left to Kantos Kan and Xodar. The former agreed to take
such vessels as we required into dock as rapidly as possible,
where Xodar would direct their equipment with water propellers.

For many years the black had been in charge of the
refitting of captured battleships that they might navigate
Omean, and so was familiar with the construction of the
propellers, housings, and the auxiliary gearing required.

It was estimated that it would require six months to complete
our preparations in view of the fact that the utmost secrecy
must be maintained to keep the project from the ears of Zat Arras.
Kantos Kan was confident now that the man's ambitions were fully
aroused and that nothing short of the title of Jeddak of Helium
would satisfy him.

"I doubt," he said, "if he would even welcome Dejah Thoris'
return, for it would mean another nearer the throne than he.
With you and Carthoris out of the way there would be little
to prevent him from assuming the title of Jeddak, and you may
rest assured that so long as he is supreme here there is no
safety for either of you."

"There is a way," cried Hor Vastus, "to thwart him effectually
and for ever."

"What?" I asked.

He smiled.

"I shall whisper it here, but some day I shall stand upon
the dome of the Temple of Reward and shout it to cheering
multitudes below."

"What do you mean?" asked Kantos Kan.

"John Carter, Jeddak of Helium," said Hor Vastus in a low voice.

The eyes of my companions lighted, and grim smiles of
pleasure and anticipation overspread their faces, as each eye
turned toward me questioningly. But I shook my head.

"No, my friends," I said, smiling, "I thank you, but it
cannot be. Not yet, at least. When we know that Tardos Mors
and Mors Kajak are gone to return no more; if I be here,
then I shall join you all to see that the people of Helium
are permitted to choose fairly their next Jeddak. Whom they
choose may count upon the loyalty of my sword, nor shall I
seek the honour for myself. Until then Tardos Mors is Jeddak
of Helium, and Zat Arras is his representative."

"As you will, John Carter," said Hor Vastus, "but--
What was that?" he whispered, pointing toward the window
overlooking the gardens.

The words were scarce out of his mouth ere he had sprung
to the balcony without.

"There he goes!" he cried excitedly. "The guards! Below there!
The guards!"

We were close behind him, and all saw the figure of a man
run quickly across a little piece of sward and disappear in the
shrubbery beyond.

"He was on the balcony when I first saw him," cried Hor Vastus.
"Quick! Let us follow him!"

Together we ran to the gardens, but even though we scoured the
grounds with the entire guard for hours, no trace could we find
of the night marauder.

"What do you make of it, Kantos Kan?" asked Tars Tarkas.

"A spy sent by Zat Arras," he replied. "It was ever his way."

"He will have something interesting to report to his master then,"
laughed Hor Vastus.

"I hope he heard only our references to a new Jeddak," I
said. "If he overheard our plans to rescue Dejah Thoris, it
will mean civil war, for he will attempt to thwart us, and
in that I will not be thwarted. There would I turn against
Tardos Mors himself, were it necessary. If it throws all Helium
into a bloody conflict, I shall go on with these plans to save
my Princess. Nothing shall stay me now short of death, and should
I die, my friends, will you take oath to prosecute the search for
her and bring her back in safety to her grandfather's court?"

Upon the hilt of his sword each of them swore to do as I had asked.

It was agreed that the battleships that were to be remodelled
should be ordered to Hastor, another Heliumetic city, far to
the south-west. Kantos Kan thought that the docks there,
in addition to their regular work, would accommodate at
least six battleships at a time. As he was commander-in-
chief of the navy, it would be a simple matter for him to
order the vessels there as they could be handled, and thereafter
keep the remodelled fleet in remote parts of the empire until
we should be ready to assemble it for the dash upon Omean.

It was late that night before our conference broke up,
but each man there had his particular duties outlined, and
the details of the entire plan had been mapped out.

Kantos Kan and Xodar were to attend to the remodelling
of the ships. Tars Tarkas was to get into communication
with Thark and learn the sentiments of his people toward his
return from Dor. If favourable, he was to repair immediately
to Thark and devote his time to the assembling of a great horde
of green warriors whom it was our plan to send in transports
directly to the Valley Dor and the Temple of Issus, while the
fleet entered Omean and destroyed the vessels of the First Born.

Upon Hor Vastus devolved the delicate mission of organising
a secret force of fighting-men sworn to follow John Carter
wherever he might lead. As we estimated that it would require
over a million men to man the thousand great battleships
we intended to use on Omean and the transports for the green
men as well as the ships that were to convoy the transports,
it was no trifling job that Hor Vastus had before him.

After they had left I bid Carthoris good-night, for I was very
tired, and going to my own apartments, bathed and lay down
upon my sleeping silks and furs for the first good night's
sleep I had had an opportunity to look forward to since
I had returned to Barsoom. But even now I was to be disappointed.

How long I slept I do not know. When I awoke suddenly
it was to find a half-dozen powerful men upon me, a gag
already in my mouth, and a moment later my arms and legs
securely bound. So quickly had they worked and to such
good purpose, that I was utterly beyond the power to resist
them by the time I was fully awake.

Never a word spoke they, and the gag effectually prevented
me speaking. Silently they lifted me and bore me toward
the door of my chamber. As they passed the window through
which the farther moon was casting its brilliant beams, I saw
that each of the party had his face swathed in layers of silk--
I could not recognize one of them.

When they had come into the corridor with me, they turned
toward a secret panel in the wall which led to the passage
that terminated in the pits beneath the palace. That any
knew of this panel outside my own household, I was doubtful.
Yet the leader of the band did not hesitate a moment.
He stepped directly to the panel, touched the concealed
button, and as the door swung open he stood aside while
his companions entered with me. Then he closed the panel
behind him and followed us.

Down through the passageways to the pits we went. The leader
rapped upon it with the hilt of his sword--three quick, sharp
blows, a pause, then three more, another pause, and then two.
A second later the wall swung in, and I was pushed within a
brilliantly lighted chamber in which sat three richly trapped men.

One of them turned toward me with a sardonic smile upon his thin,
cruel lips--it was Zat Arras.